UNDP in Timor Leste

GoTL and UNDP Sign Cost-Sharing Agreement to Support for Deconcentration

14 Mar 2014

HE Francisco Borlaco Soares, Secretary of State for Institutional Strengthening, HE Agio Pereira, Minister of State and Minister of the Presidency of the Council, Mr. Knut Ostby, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative , and Ms. Noura Hamladji, UNDP Country Director, a.i. in the GoTL and UNDP Sign Agreement. Photo: Felisberta Da Silva/UNDP

Dili, 14 March, 2014 – The Government of Timor-Leste and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today signed an agreement that will provide Government funding to UNDP for support of the country’s Administrative Pre-Deconcentration. The US$750,000 cost-sharing agreement increases resources available to support UNDP’s existing and planned work in strengthening sub-national governance and follows the promulgation of Decree Law No. 4/2014 mandating the establishment of a strong, democratic, and efficient local governance system. (Lee versaun Tetum iha ne'e)

UNDP support will build capacities of District Managers, Secretaries and officials responsible for operationalizing the Government’s deconcentration plan and also provide technical assistance for the implementation of Decree Law. These efforts will ensure that by 2018, when the decentralized plan is rolled out and fully operationalized, districts will be managing and delivering services in an accountable, transparent and efficient manner that includes both increased participation and engagement on the part of citizens. UNDP will work in concert with the Ministry of State Administration’s Secretary for Administrative Decentralization (SEDA) and the Secretary of State for Institutional Strengthening (SEFI).

“The decision to move towards deconcentration and decentralization is a clear indication of the Government’s commitment to tackling the issue of poverty and advancing the human development of all its citizens,” said Knut Ostby, UNDP Resident Representative as well as the UN’s Resident Coordinator in Timor-Leste. “Today’s signing of this cost-sharing agreement is also an indication of the commitment between us to continue strengthening our collaboration in the development of this country.”

UNDP experts from its the Asia-Pacific Regional Centre in Bangkok, along with their local colleagues, worked with the SEFI from 25 August to 5 September 2013 to design the capacity building strategy for the programme. UNDP will continue to draw on global and regional policy networks throughout the life of the progamme to provide knowledge and lessons that will prove valuable to the effective implementation of the country’s decentralization reforms.

Timor-Leste’s Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030 aligns with the Constitutional provision for decentralization through the strengthening of state institutions, the creation of opportunities for local democratic participation by all citizens, and the establishment of more effective, efficient and equitable public service delivery to further the nation’s social and economic development and to consolidate the

legitimacy and stability of the nation. This commitment is further reflected in the country’s five year program to pursue decentralization by establishing at least 3-5 municipalities by the end of 2017.

Joining HE Agio Pereira and Mr. Ostby at today’s signing were HE Tomas do Rosario Cabral, Secretary of State for Administrative Decentralization, HE Francisco Borlaco Soares, Secretary of State for Institutional Strengthening, Ms. Noura Hamladji, UNDP Country Director a.i., as well as representatives from Government, technical focal points from Ministries, senior representatives of state institutions, representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations, Civil Society, Development Partners, and staff of UNDP and other UN organizations.

For further information about UNDP’s for support of the country’s Administrative Pre-Deconcentration, please contact Joao Pereira at joao.pereira@undp.org.

About UNDP:UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

In Timor-Leste, UNDP provides technical advice and assistance to build strong and capable public institutions at national and sub-national levels in justice, parliament, human rights, anti-corruption, police, economic development, environmental management and disaster risk management that bring development, peace and justice to the population and reach out to the poor and vulnerable sections of society.

Since 2007, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Capital Fund (UNCDF) have provided support to the Government’s efforts for strengthening local governance and development under the Local Governance Support Programme.